


It Started with an Apple

by melanoms



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:08:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melanoms/pseuds/melanoms
Summary: Stephen spends all of his time in the library. You tentatively check in on him to make sure that he knows food exists: learning something new about the doctor in the process.
Relationships: Stephen Strange & Reader, Stephen Strange/Reader
Kudos: 141





	It Started with an Apple

Your psyche tickled your slumbering body back to the waking world. You drug your hand over your face and flickered your eyes open. Manifesting a glowing orange orb, you checked the time on your analogue wristwatch.

2:23

In the morning. 

Uninterested in your opinion of the early morning hours, the hands ticked forward in time. You flung your feet over the edge of the bed. The floorboards groaned, agitated by the disturbance to their dead sleep. With a yawn, you lumbered to the library and looked through the doorway.

In exactly the same spot from that afternoon, Dr. Strange pored over yet another ancient text. His eyelids fluttered before he jerked his head up to regain focus. You lazily propped yourself up in the doorway.

“Mast-Doctor Strange, it’s two in the morning. You should get some sleep.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.” He turned the page without looking up at you. “And it’s 2:25.”

You hung your head and sighed. Transferring from the Hong Kong Sanctum proved to be a questionable decision every day. You threw your body slightly upright and staggered behind him. Tracing your hands through the air, you started casting a spell.

Strange furrowed his brow and whipped around to glower at you.

“Just what do you think you're doing?”

“Casting a protective chaaarm,” you yawned. 

“For what?”

“If I find you asleep on top of,” you peered over his shoulder at the pages, “Defenses Against Demonic Possession, you shouldn’t be unarmed. Can’t let anyone trap you in your sleep again, now can we?”

“I didn’t know you could read Sanskrit.”

“You never asked.”

You shrugged then exited the library, already a walking dream as your body ached to return to sleep.

Two weeks later, you finished a round of conjuring shields in the Mirror Dimension. They grew more intricate, expansive, and powerful by the day. Wiping a few beads of sweat from your temples, you checked the time to see that three hours flew by since you started.

Using your sling ring, you opened a gateway to return to the real world. You went to the kitchen to make yourself lunch. Last time you saw the Sanctum’s master, he was in the library as per usual. 

You looked at your meal and bit your lip. Then you pulled an extra plate from the cupboard. Unsure of the doctor’s taste, you put together a small assortment of food. Maybe you’d pick something right?

Knocking on the doorway to announce your presence, you strode through the library to place the plate amongst his piles of volumes. His eyes glanced at it, curious about the new addition to his peripheral vision.

“In case you haven’t eaten,” you assumed before leaving him to his studies.

Strange examined your offering. The plate contained a small pile of almonds, cheese cubes, and an apple. Picking up the apple, he rotated it in his hand and smirked. He took a bite and resumed reading.

After a few hours, you returned to the library. Without a word, you picked up the plate to return it to the kitchen. You didn’t see the sorcerer examining your every moment as you left.

To your surprise the plate was almost empty. The apple, almonds, and most of the cheese were nowhere in sight. But you cocked an eyebrow at the gouda that had one bite missing, but remained otherwise untouched.

Over the next few weeks, you continued to bring plates of different foods into the library. You carefully studied which ones did and did not pass the doctor’s lips. 

Fruits and vegetables were usually acceptable. Except for green peppers and olives. The pretzels always disappeared. But you got to snack on the remaining pistachios as you walked back to the kitchen. 

Overall, the treats like biscuits and chocolates were untouched. Chocolate covered pretzels, however, appeared to be a favorite.

One day, you placed an apple and collection of chocolate covered pretzels amongst his towers of books. Peering over his shoulder, you smirked.

“Defenses Against Demonic Possession? You finished that weeks ago.”

“Just brushing up,” he murmured.

“If I recall correctly, you have a photographic memory Doctor Strange.”

“Stephen,” he turned to you. “And yes, yes I do.”

“Then what are you doing looking through this one? Should be ancient to you by now.”

“You usually come in every two hours. Used to be three. But about four days ago, it shortened to two.”

“Are you staring at a book so I feed you? I thought you didn’t need a babysitter.”

“No,” he glanced downwards. He swallowed then returned his gaze to you with a lonely look in his eyes. “But I could use a friend.”

You squinted and tilted your head to the side. Trying to fully understand, you studied his face for a moment. But calculating that the offer was indeed genuine, you pulled out a chair and plopped yourself across from him. Kicking your feet up on the table, you grabbed a text on astral projections and cracked it open in your lap.

Stephen smirked and returned to staring at the page in front of him. You could feel him glancing up at you now and again. Still engrossed in your studies, you turned the page.

“Could really use an apple right now,” you hummed without looking up.

Stephen chuckled and closed his book. His eyes were eternally grateful for a change of scenery beyond the Sanskrit scribbled on the pages. He stood up, pushing his chair out from under him as his legs praised him for the stretch.

“Anything else?”

“You’re smart, doctor. You’ll figure it out.”

You peered up from your book and gave him a wink before resuming your reading. Stephen smirked as he strode out of the library, eager and curious to also learn your taste.


End file.
